Improved attachment of the tow-lines of canal-boats



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VCHARLES W. GAGE, OF HOMER, NEW YORK.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 35,224, dated April 21,1863.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, C. W. GAGE, ofthe town of Homer, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in dead-eyes as a safeguard for horses when drawing canal-boats and I hereby declare that the following isa true and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure l represents a perspective view. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same inverted.

A and B represent two elevations near opposite ends. The rod C is inserted at its larger end into an opening in A. The rod C is secured in this horizontal opening by a bolt or pin, which passes through the upper jaw of A, through C into the lowerjaw of A, the hole in O being large enough to admit ofthe horizontal motion of the rod C. The end of C next to the shoulder in the opening of A is rounded so that it can pass sufficiently far to the right or left to perform the oiiice assigned it, which is to disengage itself from the loop of the cord which passes over it, the opposite end of this cord being the point to which the horses are hitched. The spring-lever d passes through the elevation B in a line with C, and has a head on it the lower part of which extends nearly to the bottom of B. This head is designated by the letter e and has a cavity in :it large enough to receive the end of C. The leverd has a shoulder on it atf, (shown by dotted lines,) against which one end of the spiral spring g rests, the other end pressing against the shoulder h, also exhibited in dotted lines. The end of d extends sufficiently far beyond the outside of B to admit of a cord passing through it and reaching to the stern ofthe boat, so as to be controlled by the helmsman.

The letter k represents a block, which tits at its base into a mortise cut in the body of the machine between A and B. The top ofk when in position supports the rod G, and the back of it rests against e. 7c is coniined in its position by an iron bolt, its base resting upon the openingj, as seen in Fig. 2. The pressure ofj upon the block 7c and the corresponding pressure of lc upon C prevents the cord from slipping oft' and thus disengaging the horses unseasonably.

The mode of operating my machine is as follows-vizr Itis first secured firmly to the prow of the boat, the elevation A being foremost, and the horses hitched to the cord looped around G. The rope attached to the end of lever d extends to the helmsman, who, when he desires to disengage the horses, pulls the lever D back, relieves O from the socket in e, and the cord, by its oblique pressure upon C, draws it around, and the cord slips o. 1f, on the other hand, the horses should fall behind the boat and are in danger of being dragged into the canal, the cord is thrown into a position to force d back at the same'time that it presses the block k downward and slips oft' from the rod C.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

The lever d, the rod C, the block k, and the spring j, the whole arranged in the manner and for the purpose substantially as herein described.

GHABLES W. GAGE.

Witnesses:

WM. ANDREWS, A. A. BABcooK. 

